GUELPH, Ont. – Saturday night (Jan. 27) at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre, the U SPORTS No. 8-ranked Gryphons men’s volleyball team defeated the Windsor Lancers in four sets (26-24, 25-21, 15-25, 25-20). With the win the Gryphons regain control of the top spot in the OUA standings and improve to 13-2 on the season while the Lancers fall to 9-5.
The Gryphons were once again led by all-Canadian talent and outside hitter Jonathan Pickett, who recorded another 20 point night with 18 kills and 4 assisted blocks. Fourth-year Alexander Odle was the only other Gryphon to surpass the 10-point mark, totaling 12 points thanks to 10 kills and 3 total blocks. Second-year middle blocker Nathan Peters also impressed in Saturday nights contest, recording 6 blocks and 3 kills for 9 points.
The game opened with both teams trading blows in the form of scoring runs before a 7-1 Gryphon run gave the home team an early lead. The Lancers would respond in the second, quickly building a 17-9 advantage. The Gryphons, who were looking to avoid a second consecutive loss to the Lancers, went on an impressive run to tie the game at 20-20 before holding the visiting team to a single point and taking the second set. Despite momentum trending in the Gryphons favour, the Lancers would avoid the straight-sets loss with a convincing 25-15 third set win. In the fourth, and ultimately final set, the Gryphons were able to capture the win thanks to a 5-0 run midway through the frame followed by 9-4 run to take the 25-20 victory.
The Gryphons (13-3) will now head to their bye, with no games scheduled for next weekend. They will return to action on February 9th for the first of a two-game set with the No. 5-ranked Queen’s Gaels, taking place at the Gael’s ARC Gymnasium in Kingston, Ontario.
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